1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an electric connector to be applied mainly to a wiring harness to be mounted on a motor vehicle and more particularly, to an electric connector wherein an electric terminal accommodated in a connector housing main body is locked by a terminal locking member provided in the housing main body.
2. Description of the Related Art
As an electric connector provided with an terminal locking member, an electric connector K shown in FIG. 11 is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,122,080, for example.
The electric connector K has a with a spacing member b as a terminal locking member inserted from a side of a housing a. And, in a provisional engaging state of the spacing member b, an electric terminal c accommodated in the housing a is locked by a resilient locking piece d provided on the spacing member b, and in a final engaging state to be made by further shifting the spacing member b, the electric terminal c is locked by the coming-off preventing abutting portion e so as to secure the electric terminal c.
With respect to the above prior art electric connector K, since the resilient locking piece d and the coming-off preventing abutting portion e of the spacing member b are formed in a comb-like shape, the resilient locking piece d or the coming-off preventing abutting portion e is apt to be deformed when the spacing member b is inserted in the housing a even in case of the electric terminal c being in a state of incomplete insertion, wherein the incomplete insertion of the electric terminal c into the housing a could not necessarily be detected surely.
Also, since the lock of the electric terminal c changes from a means of the resilient locking piece d to a means of the coming-off preventing abutting portion e as the spacing member b, is inserted the terminal holding force is weakened, thereby causing coming-off of the electric terminal c.
Further, since a deformation preventing mechanism of the resilient locking piece d is not provided, the locking force by the resilient locking piece d would become weakened.